“What I’m seeing here is not inconsistent with what’s going on all over the world,” Kenney said.

“We opened a restaurant in Bogota, Colombia, which is traditionally not vegan-friendly at all. We’re also opening in Buenos Aires, which is steak-friendly, and the communities there are growing so fast because of the global movement toward accepting plants as an alternative meal.”

A&W released a 100 per cent plant-based burger this past summer; it sold out within weeks. The fast food chain announced the plant-based burger will now be a permanent menu item on Oct. 1.

Good news – our Beyond Meat Burger will be available in all A&W restaurants again starting October 1! We are thrilled Canadians love this burger as much as we do. It’s a permanent menu item at A&W, so it’s here to stay. Thanks for your patience everyone.

Padmanadi Vegetarian Restaurant has been in Edmonton for 15 years. Manager Maya Paramithi said many people are seeking vegan options as they would ethnic cuisines.

“Now being plant-based is so much easier,” she said. “It’s not that thing that’s weird anymore.”

“A family can just go and enjoy their meal without feeling like, ‘I don’t just want to eat bowls of salad. I don’t just want to eat chickpeas.’ Restaurants now are definitely more innovative in terms of their recipes.”

Sa-Auset Tauwieret is an omnivore and frequents Padmanadi one to three times per month.

“I will enjoy vegan, vegetarian food very regularly because I think it’s important to take a break from meat,” she said.

“I’ll do a Google search for vegetarian restaurants because, like I said, at least once a week we’re strictly eating vegetarian food all day.”